Theo Verelst Diary Page

21:34pm 13-06-2001

I've decided after good example to write some diary pages with toughts
and events.

Oh, in case anybody fails to understand, I'd like to remind them
that these pages are copyrighted, and that everything found here may not
be redistributed in any other way then over this direct link without my
prior consent. That includes family, christianity, and other cheats. The
simple reason is that it may well be that some people have been ill informed
because they've spread illegal 'copies' of my materials even with modifications.
Apart from my moral judgement, that is illegal, and will be treated as
such by me. Make as many references to these pages as you like, make hardcopies,
but only of the whole page, including the html-references, and without
changing a iota or tittel...

And if not? I won't hesitate to use legal means to correct wrong
that may be done otherwise. And I am serious. I usually am. I'm not sure
I could get 'attempt to grave emotional assault' out of it, but infrigement
on copyright rules is serious enough. And Jesus called upon us to respect
the authorities of state, so christians would of course never do such a
thing. Lying, imagine that.

21:34pm 13-06-2001

Some things are important in life, others aren't much, some
pay of inthe future, some need to be right in the time
they are there, some are always important but not needed at
all times.

No matter how, no matter what circumstances, such considerations
hold always, and considering I find in american language the
persuit of happyness important because what point is there
without it, at some points it must at least be clear what
happyness means for a person, to be able to aim at achieving it.

Gonna hava a houseparty, Am7 D7/A Gsus4 E7/10b

I've been negative about the concept of house music in general
terms a few times lately, which at least should be clear
conceptwise. I mean in general house/rap music which is not too
lets say elevated musically, often not even enough music to take
notice of, in non-conservative and non reactive language, which
probably is made and listened to according to rules that have
nothing much to do with what I consider normal life and
responses. I'm not talking about drugs and subversive cultures,
I'm talking about the reason to make and listen to music, and
how such things can be messed up and corrupted in (young) peoples
minds and habits and lifes, where sacrifices to deamons and
their doctrines are not good soul food for average people and
bad preparations for talents that may at some point be picked
by a (former) record and or clip company because they have
a suitable surname and be blown up into a ridiculous position
with not even the first means to actually make music enough.

In biblical terms, its not hard to find that music is considered
important, it might be worth a seperate page with neat
quotes and everything, in psalms, which were songs of David,
there is regular speak of a 'loud noise before the Lord',
thrre was a whole tribe of israel dedicated to the making and playing of
musical instruments when the tabernacel was made, that is one
twelfth of Gods chosen people was called to be musician of some
kind, in new testament there is talk of "learning a new song
that no one could learn except the 144000", trumpets blasts
indicating special events, which must just as now have been
instruments with particular characteristic sound, and
the greek at least knew about acoustics, and there is talk
of continuously singing hymns, and of a (children) song as
a comparison.

So at least the stones can claim that relevant parts of their
profession have biblical enough foundation...

Evidently, there are many types of music, as there are different
types of people and peoples that populate the earth, though
from eskimo through chinese, from didgeredoo to hand drum,
there are clear enough links between various types of traditional
and certainly contemporary music and use of instruments, in part
because of the physical properties of the basic mechanical instruments
in part because it seems that human musical perception has enough
parallel sensitivity, and feeling for harmonies and melody lines,
though also clearly, there are profound differences between
indian half tones, chinese pentatonic music, african drumming
(though that is not too contradictory), american blues and
european classical music.

The ability to musicise is a gift of either our natural makeup
or maybe of God that mostly is not harmfull and a type of positive
element of live, as I like to see it. Even though music on funerals
is not primarily happy music, it still serves the purpose of making
life a bit nicer, like tea and cookies, not worse. And even though
lets say the Who wrecked not just their instruments at times in
a show but also didn't want to make certain musical figures and
stereotypes stand up to be adored instead of a more essential
message or idea they would want to win, the 'crank that noise
down' parental remarks might be born out of serious discontentment
and disruption, but the loudness of rock certainly regularly
serves a purpose, and the cry 'I can't get no satisfaction',
and Hendrix' national anthem verion may not leave people in
quiet and sweet happiness, the former got me dancing quite well and
sweaty when I was a lot smaller, they certainly have effects
that are not necessarily negative.

The blues may have been born out of discontentment, and Dylan
and Baez may call for rebellion of certain kinds rather then make
people quitely pastured sheep, the aim and effect is not generally
destructive or negative.

Would the beatles have sort of learned that giving the power of
their music to the maharadji or some daila lama won't make
their cause right, and in the end mainly proof that their
music was quite something, and the doctrines in such systems
mainly miserable and not worth listening to? At least it is
clear enough listening that the spiritual in music has
effect and that the a nice or well formed pop song can be
of serious value, whereas the glorification of a contrary concept
makes it all depressing and dissatisfactory. Suppose 'spirit of
eden (talk talk) would have been to break the very heart of
people and put it back together the wrong way around, or
'blues is the healer' be more attractive and teaching crowds that
it is important that a stupid african computer sample beat under
it will realy make the world a better place!

Does music have direct and indirect measurable effects of significance?
Of course it has, heart beat may accelerate or be driven, sweating
and dancing can occur, communication changes, people feel more
free or drawn by a songs lyrics and feel the urge to sing along,
or whisle a catchy tune all day or tap drum patterns. "a happy
heart accelerates healing" proverbs says, probably medically verified.
The unity and concentration that can be present in certain ways
in classical performances must have been keeping people from
many dreadfull thoughts in renaissance, while gregorian chants
probably easily do the converse. And finally, what would a socker stadion
sound like without 50.000 tongues of "we are the champions"?

So in short, of course there is major effect of music on a persons
being and well being.

Classically, it is clear that music requires learning, both
to make and to listen to. Quite some in fact, mastering
and instrument takes quite some practicing hours, and a performance
usually serious amounts of concentration. Score reading, instrument
mastery, orchestral collaboration, minding the director, acoustics,
loads of various composers, much has to be learned to be taken
serious enough as a starting point of intelligent and serious
communication about such music, though of course classic FM can
be dialed by everyone with a transistor and an antenna, and some station
to pick up, or a stereo and cable, and enjoyed to any desired extend,
as long as the listener is capable of such, and the materials
played are to his or her liking.

In pop music of the last half a century the learning aspect is not
always as clear, garage rock bands might be made in an afternoon
with three chords, improvised lyrics and rambling 4/4 drum beats
by unexperienced persons. Not usually will such idea work in the
long run and with random, talentless, performers, but it can
work quite well. Yet we cannot conclude that in pop and related
(non-classical) music there is nothing to knwo or even more
ludicrous, nothing to learn. Apart from the studio, instrument
and amplification equipment, which can full books with serious knowledge
all by themselves, a lot of knowledge is present in popular songs
which can be acquired at conservatory level or less, as well
as with reknown and capable musicians of various genres.

Most musicians with more than a little experience will be able to
quite in detail make clear what the musical ideas are they are
playing with in certain songs, and what theory and background
knowledge they apply, which is not limiting or dry, but
simply what experience has shown to work certain ways, which can
be applies to ones liking after mastering the skills involved.

A blues is a good example of a root form of many modern forms
of popular music that is (seemingly) both simple yet powerfull and
leaving space for many musical skills, not at all easily acquired,
but likeable and effective and of low acceptance threshold for
most audiences. A 12 bar blues has been used for countless
songs of happy and sad, fast and slow, complex or simple nature,
and the amount of knowledge required to play or drum a basic form
of it is not that much, but the amount of possible expertise to
apply is considerable, and there are many blues songs of which
a good cover version may take much sweat and time, even for
experienced musicians.

The better pop songs may thrive on simple lyrics and music or
complicated, there is no rule it seems, though without question
quite objectively one may discern criteria to discard som e
and like others on the basis of musical criteria. A good session
or maybe coverband musician may find it possible to play quite
an assortment of pop songs with little practice, but probably
no one will argue that such is like pushing a few buttons, there
is musical though involved that is quite readily understood and
picked up by many audiences, but not that trivial to acquire, and
which takes serious practice and listening with ears open.

So now someone comes along with a computer, a sampler, a few
pieces of equipment with some knobs on it, and is going to tell me
that a wonderfull scratch with this and this combination of
materials and this and this type of distored sound is just the
best there has ever been, and will send you straight to house wonderland
when listened to over crappy but loud PA systems. Yeah right.

Sorry guys, kraftwerk did such things years ago, you probably
have some samples here and there from computer scratch sounds
they probably programmed on their own made computers long
before you were born, nice aren't they. I'm not saying there is
no room for more and new music in the area, fine in fact,
as an example I had at least one CD of Ndegeocello, which contains
ideas from the genre and has enough groove and interest to
not sink in it, but in general the idea of letting drumcomputers
and automated mixing do a fun enough job would better be left
to donna summer and a minimoog that the vast majority of modern
hit songs.

But my spiritual guide tells me we're doing exactly right, in spirit
this stuff seems to be exactly not far out enough. Well, ehm,
does it do woodstock stuff yet? No? On purpose I break the subject
open in not nice way, because I do not just think, for religeous and
general reasons, that such ideas suck, I think they are bad. And
representative of types of thinking, and implenting ideas from
circles which I find bad. 'Brown or white' is sort of the association
I have with the idea of getting the god knows by who given priviledge
of placing a certain newish record on your record table and
have certain dance associations with it no one realy understands
or feels better by, as a sort of habit and system that realy at it
seems hardly any point at all have the urge or plan to make
listeners feel right or make a point worth making.

I distinctly remember when I was into synth music at the time
when lets say disco was sort of happening that when I made my
own synthesizer machines, it was tempting to do heavy lines with
electronically solid rythm lines that sort of have a fatness
and forcefullness in them that I liked that to be more than
I could ever imagine, yet that the idea by itself bored me
sincerely after maybe 4 bars for its utter emptyness by itself.
Luckily, Rose Royce, Emmerson Lake and Palmer, Genesis,
Jean Michel Jarre and Electric Light Orchestra came along to
remind me that realy is about content and learning to apply
new technology right, and I had the chance to party quite
happily with the sounds of rock solid Linn drums smoothed up
by real and skillfull string sections.
And doesn't Jean Micheal realize important ideas when his
concert in china after replacement of popcorn by ping pong,
and his share of sucessfull imitations and general electronic
bombast with some harmony and lines and a measure of builtup
finds a satisfactory and emotion arising enough peak in
a well played synth blues solo with the strong and fitting enough
surroundings of worked at samples and synth backing.

That got me quite interested: suppose I'd one day be able to
play stuff like THAT! Ha. So I'd happily with about with diodes
ttl gates, transistors and capacitors in my electronic drum machine
to make some new drum patterns come out, and know all this can when well
applied lead to real good music. And I wanted to have synths
like in Yazoo's and Depeche Mode's pop songs, which I could
play on my own, but which could use some extra guts and
challange to play more phrased and varied and rythmically
extended. Healthy desire enough, it prooved to be.

Maybe should have defined it such that my electronics, which
were absolutely unique, and self made, by themselves defined
a new music that was impossible to beat, completely ahead of all there
was, and impossible to improve much, and immedeately have the
ego to fit with such idea, and conquered the world. Maybe with
a rich daddy with a recording studio and lots of contacts and
the desire to promote something of his own, that would have
worked. Then again, I liked the little casio keyboard with
the 'trio' band a lot better then such and idea, maybe because
they had lyrics that meant something?! What are words worth?
Words are happy words are fun, words can put you on the run. Plunck
plic plick plunck...

Let me see, that was irony, maybe on the fringe of sarcasm, though
another term should be found to put the perspective right. I mean
I damn it made my own synth and (not heavy enough to my liking at the
time) electronic drum stuff myself, like 20 years ago, and I
currently am able to seriously play realy most of all popular
music with not too much practice generally, I cannot run circles
around the sort of nonsense I regularly see and MTV, I could do
it with my eyes closed, backwards, make fun of it, make it
work anyway, and than still with one hand and maybe half a
day of studio time. Is that superiority feelings to feel better?
No, I'm fine musically, I don't think I've ego problems or
serious acknowledgement craves or the incredible desire to
flood the world with my muysical findings, necessarily. Realy,
I don't think so.

I'm just against the idea of the hopelessness that I often pick up
in the sort of music I described, realy than at least be some
modern Bowie or something, sample Tosh, cover the golden
earrings, whatever. Or rap a poem that doesn't just give the urge
to see wether ones dicksize is actually still up to standard or
not and be moderately dissatisfied with the suggested outcome.
Why not put that roof on fire and run with anyone that gives a damn.

So I'm a just still young enough romanticist promoting
my type of rock and roll highschool or bag of cheap tricks to
not have to keep up with the latest MTV and learn how to get my
money for nothing?

No, I don't think so, I've made not often money with playing
music, but I do know what the fun of that is, I have played
with audience more than dozens of times in pop, hundreds of
times with singing people, and probably hundreds of times
in rehersals, unofficial sessions, official sessions and
(recording) studio situations, not to mention my own
hundreds of recording and sequencing and mixing situations.
So I'm not in need of basic experience, and frankly, I wouldn't
like to put myself on top of the pops, even if I would have such
powers, unless I'd have some satisfaction about the product I'd
be part of enough for such exposure. Though I'll not argue that the
ambition on itself is not unappealing, I migh prefer to at some
point in time appear on North Sea Jazz or some more exotic,
well climated located variation. That is ambitious, but that's
not new for me, to be ambitious, and I (luckily) heard no one laugh,
just like at some other times I've made clear to want things
more than most would aim for.

Anyhow, that is just to make clear how I feel about such things,
to make clear where I stand. And I still say that it is a bad
idea to make music like I too much hear and see, not so much
that the world will come to an end because of it, or because
music itself will change the world in every essential way,
but simply because I don't like it, and think many that grow
up deserve the chance to at least every now and then hear
good songs and productions, and without having to tune away
from popular stations into some circuit they'll only be entered
into be initiation rites many may not even know about.

I for at the time not so clear reasons loved to play 'tie your
mother down' loud on my stereo before volumes complaints
would make the experience less complete when I was in highschool,
and I see no reasons to withold the idea from people that might
have similar likes but are stuck with, 'he, ho, you're walking
though my neighbourhood, and you're shoes sure ain't the right brand
and an obligate set of tedious bass samples and rather stupid
fill samples, deliberately not even of good quality, or
nigh long rave on dance music with no more ideas
in it than meaningless patterns and be happy the dj at least
spoil the last bit of humanness by actualy putting in voices,
and than feel lucky enough it isn't worse.

Wanna get into good enough and even lets say male enough
pop with music difficult parents? Try 10CC or Godley and Cream.

"I was walking down the street, concentrating on truckin' right
I heard a dark voice beside of me, I looked 'round in a state of fright
I saw four faces, one mad, a brother from the gutter,
They looked me up and down a bit and to eachother....
(dreadlock holyday)

Good harmonies and melodies, nicely song, good content,
rythmically recogniseable and varied. For good lyrics,
world top musical ideas and applications and a variation
between salsa and rock and new wave, try Joe Jackson.

And the expression is 'goddamn' (and then something very evil
that deserves damnation like mentioned in Peters' letter),
don't forget the rock classics. As I wrote after hearing hundreds
of times when I listen to rock around the clock it still
changes my day.

He guys, he is anyone back there? Yeah! I have a radio jingle for you.
Radio one, you're the one for me.
You stole my girl, but I love you just the same
Guitar solo. Sela.
(Hendrix, bbc recordings, side 3)

What was that, you're benevolent spiritual dog-guide suddenly
turned against you? What, your Jesus figure, teaming up with
the eternal madonna image of your mothers' choice suddenly hiss
and squirm and warn you that such unsereneness will maybe forgood
spoil their power and presence in you life? Praise God, Haleluja,
thank Jesus, and Maranata, the end of time is near, lets
have it over with the sha and harmageddon and
our misery will be over, and let moses set our captives free,
row the boat ashore, and we shall finally overcome.

But mr Theover, you're stuck with old record company concepts and
ideas about the spiritual and music, nowadays things work differently,
and you know, hippies were also on drugs, and preached very
unfamily like morals.

What the ... I made multitrack recording myself, indeed also
long ago, bit also not that long ago, and indeed recording has
been around since at least Robert Johnson and
mixing techniques since at least long before Walter Carlos,
I dare to begin an immedeate comparison in knowledge about
midi recording and manipulation for instance in Cubase
(the latest ones, yes, yes), with any producer in any musical
fields, and not feel ashamed at least, and seriously, I program
synthesizer simulations that are at least in the outer edge
of synthesizer algorithms available, what do you want from me ?!

I built my own mixers, amplifiers, speakers systems, compressors,
tone generators, keyboard, various effects, tone controls,
even distortion effects long before I graduated in electrical
engineering, and seriously, they all worked, just like my recent
serious quality PA system, synthesizer components, sample processing
and synthesizer simulation software and hardware to play synth
on. And I was one of the first to work with Steinbergs
first sequencer, worked with various effect equipment and
microphone situations for years, as well as mixers, normally
used quality record players (with self made quality pre amplifiers),
and I made tape collages and cuts since I owned one of the first
compact cassette recorders. I could literelly built the majority
myself from most modern record producing setups' components,
and know in detail what they do, both signal wise as sound
wise. I'm not to be fooled around with in these areas, I provably
know my stuff.

So the only thing that remains is that people have certain reasons
to want different music, or simply the walk of life to follow
some circuits modus operandus and choice of audio makings.

Which maybe is good to punish some neo nazis without them
even noticing but in general a damnation of musical and emotional
poorness I normally not wish in general.

Ever try to make or have or be part of a pop band? That on itself
is work and interest enough. I've been in a few, and part
of quite some workshops, sessions and temporary setups, and
don't think I ever disliked the idea, especially when the
outcome is good enough, or of course when I simply likes one
or more of the constituents enough. Bring all your girlfriends
(/boyfriends) to the sky clip recording. Might even beat the
bathing suit dance competition.

Talking about competition, I saw a poster with and official
Jazz competition, in Paradiso, amsterdam, isn't that something,
supposedly mature jazz musicians in official competition..
Not very well known names I think they were.

The title of this page refers to a song by maybe Deo, I not
sure. Sort of a funky song, a kind I definenately like to
play, as I did in the past with this song, too, which is
fun with the trombone solo in the end. Life isn't bad with
such stuff. Without the likes of it or other good music,
not half as good.

My 16 step sequencer for the Z80 microcomputer system acting
as synthesizer has recently been recorded on cassette by me
with a pleasing enough sound doing a sort of bass pattern
like in 'I feel love' (Donna Summer, disco song with long
spun intro and open, held back built up, dancable). When I
take that automatically repeating arpegiating pattern up a minor third,
which the machine allows in real time, it calls for the
speakers and amp chip I described to do their work and
preferably make waves in the 100's watt range and quite controlled
shift air as well as note base as state of mind. Worth it.

Would the latest type Korg synth 'Karma' do that, too? I saw a song
I think from radio Head on Pinkpop (I wasn't there) called
'karma police', though I don't remember much of the song,
the title is interesting. Maybe it says much.

Where are the commodores, earth wind and fire, I'll trade
any number of extasy pills for their albums, probably better
yet: live performances.

(From memory) Tracy Chapman:
Talking about a revolution, yeah,
standing in the wellfare lines (G, Am),
waiting in the doorsteps of those armies of salvation,
wasting time in unemployment lines,
sinderella waiting for a promotion,

poor people gonna rise up, get their share
Talking about a revolution

(by heart) piece of:
Living color, Love rears its ugly head

C7 C7 Bb7 F7 F7
You said always said that our relationship was good
You play the role of having sense,
I always play the fool
Now something's different, I don't know the reason why,
This morning I woke up, I almost wanna cry
Oh, what you're gonna do
when IT comes and gets to you
...